your bound to notice I install links too useful info in most threads, now obviously not all the info, posted in all threads will be helpful in all cases, but you'll eventually come to realize the value of reading thru the info links.theres a great deal of useful info, in those linksinfo that you might think is useless to you now, but you'll be amazed at the number of times in the future your going to say to yourself...., damn! I remember reading something about that, now where was that posted, and a brief search will turn up your info!, info you swore at the time was a waste of your time to read thru, I know that's been very common for me and I'm sure it will be for those guys that really want to learn how and why things work!.

circletrack wrote:Stock Bearing ClearancesAdjusting the clearance is easy, but probably a bit more expensive than most of us would prefer. Most quality bearing manufacturers make three versions for all the popular styles. First, there’s the standard bearing. This is where you start. If you find you need more clearance, you can purchase an undersized bearing. This means the bearing shell is thinner, which creates 0.001 more clearance than a standard bearing. An oversized bearing is the opposite. It’s thicker and takes away 0.001 of clearance.

One one-thousandth of an inch is a big jump, but you can actually make adjustments in 0.0005 increments—that’s one-half of one thousandths of an inch. To do this you mix half the shell of a one-over or one-under bearing with half the shell from the standard bearing. This means you may have to purchase a couple sets of bearings to get everything just right in your race engine, but sometimes that’s the price you have to pay. Just remember when mixing shells to always keep the sizes in the same alignment. In other words, if you’re using one-unders with standards for your main bearings, put all the one-unders in the cap with the standards in the block side of the housing bore, or vice versa. So with that said, let’s get on with it. The general rule of thumb for bearing clearances is 0.0010 inch for every 1 inch of journal diameter. That's true for mains and rods, and applies to almost all engines. For the small-block's 2-inch rod journals, that means 0.002 inch of clearance between the rod journal and bearing, by the rule of thumb. The GM-specified tolerances are 0.002 to 0.0025 inch, which lines up well with the rule. Side clearances come in at 0.010 to 0.020 inch, as specified by GM. The clearance rule applies to most engines, but it's generally best to avoid going below 0.0020 inch on any bearing, regardless of the journal diameter.

FORDThese specs are for stock-type bolts with light engine oil applied to the threads and the underside of the bolt head. Moly and other lubes offer reduced friction and increased bolt tension, which will affect the torque figure. If you use aftermarket performance bolts like ARP's, you should follow the recommended torque specifications.

KNOWING WHAT YOUR DOING IS IMPORTANT, TO GETTING GOOD RESULTS!no one knows everything about all models and years so it helps to have the correct procedures and info in a handy referace source,now you can get by with a HAYNES or CHILTONS manual, or something similar, but for detailed info, OWNING the CHEVY SHOP MANUAL FOR YOUR SPECIFIC CAR IS ALMOST MANDATORY!I get asked frequently, "how did you know how to do that?"well, EXPERIANCE plays a big roll, working on similar cars and engines helps, and the INTERNET is a good resource... but theres ALWAYS a big need for DETAILED REFERANCE MATERIAL, SPECIFICALLY MATCHING YOUR PARTICULAR CAR and if you have not yet invested in a SHOP MANUAL for the year make and model of you pride and joy muscle car your either not serious about your hobby, or most likely NOT A SERIOUS HOT RODDER! I constantly see guys SCREWING up installations, or adjustments,if you don,t know exactly what your doing, you need to either let the dealer do it and PRAY his mechanics are experianced and can read, OR..if your like ME, you would rather do it yourself and KNOW its been done correctly...if your not aware, heres where to order them....

your average shop manual may cost $100-$150 ONCE! but youll easily save far more than that in reduced time and screw ups in under a years time or in many cases on one job vs having the dealer do the work!

just some info for future buildsaluminum heads ALWAYS require head bolt washers with oil or ultra lube to get consistent clamp values and the flat surface faces the head the inner bevel faces the bolt head on head STUDS the same things required on aluminum heads to get even clamp loads and no galling unlike a OEM block DARTS blocks have blind threaded head bolt holes that don,t enter the water jacket so you need to be sure the threads are clean, theres no crud in the threaded holes and you use minimal thread sealant on the lower threads because theres little chance off coolant leaking up thru the threads like with an OEM block where head bolts enter the coolant passages

this should be used only in head bolt holes that don,t enter water jackets in the block on the lower threads

IF your going to use ARP main cap studs THE TORQUE SETTINGS ARE DIFFERENT than the original BOLTS, the STUDS ARE STRONGER, BUT,you might also consider that main studs generally install after cleaning the threads in the block with a tap,blowing them dry with high pressure air, oiling the studs course threads with the thread sealant and fine threads end with the ARP thread lube, when you screw them into the block the full thread depth,by hand, then get backed out one turn, the main caps installed and the nuts torqued in stages to seat and hold the main caps, now LOOK at those STUDS the end in the block threads is SAE COURSE thread, the end your torquing the nut on is SAE FINE THREAD with a much different PITCH that requires less tq to give the same clamp loadsif you run as tap thru the block holes and blow them out with a high pressure air jet and use a wire brush and solvent to clean the bolt threads then dip them in the correct sealant you should have no problems re-using those ARP or STOCK head bolts on the first gen SBC or BBC engines

In any application where your tightening a nut on a stud , such as on the outer threaded ends of main cap studs or head bolt studs, youll want to use a lube on the threads that gives consistent torque reading from your torque wrench indicating the correct bolt or stud TENSION, oil and MOLY assembly lube and various thread sealants do not always do that,the end in the blocks course threads have thread sealant, the fine threads on the outer end require a totally different lubricant

the threads must bear evenly and align correctly with the studs center line, for the stud to apply max loads over the total threaded surface ,the threaded section must be under tension alone and engage the total threaded surface in the block, if the stud is torqued into place, you've preloaded the threads bearing the load and they are partly under compressive loads ,your basically jacking the bottom of the threaded hole away from the threaded section, and applying THOUSANDS of lbs of extra stress to the blocks web area if you torque the threads to the same 100 ft lbs the original bolts were tightened to, the threads in the block will now have added stress once the full tension loads on the studs and main caps is applied by torquing the nuts on the studs ,theres added stress on the block, if the studs have bottomed out and are pushing on the bottom of the threaded hole making the block web area more likely to crack or the crank saddles to distort.keep in mind FACTORY BOLTS are made slightly shorter to PREVENT the bolt tip bottoming out in the hole, but bolts cause wear on the threads because they are tightened while the bolts still advancing deeper into the threaded block, studs cause far less wear because they fully engage the threads bearing the loads before the tensile load is applied

heres what ARP says"STUDS vs. BOLTS

ARP recommends the use of main studs over bolts whenever possible for several key reasons. First is the ability to obtain more accurate torque readings because studs donâ€™t â€œtwistâ€ into the block. All clamping forces are on one axis. By the same token, there is less force exerted on the block threads, which contributes to improved block life (very critical on aluminum blocks). Finally, there are factors of easier engine assembly and proper alignment of caps every time"

ARP's instructions (for head studs)state that you should thread the studs into the block until they're hand-tight, but with the head on the block, this is difficult. Fortunately, ARP was thoughtful enough to incorporate a fitting for an Allen wrench into the head of each stud. So, using an Allen wrench, I threaded the studs into the head until I could no longer turn the wrench with two fingers. This method seems to have worked nicely

1. Clean and chase appropriate threads inblock to ensure proper thread engagementand accurate torque readings.2. All hardware (and caps) should becleaned and inspected prior to installation,looking for any shipping damage or defects.3. Screw studs into block, finger tightONLY. For permanent installation, applyLoc-tite (or similar adhesive) sparinglyto threads. Be sure and install the capspromptly before the cement sets to preventmisalignment of studs in block.1. Clean and chase appropriate threads inblock to ensure proper thread engagementand accurate torque readings.2. All hardware (and caps) should becleaned and inspected prior to installation,looking for any shipping damage or defects.There are a number of important considerationswhen installing ARP main studs.3. Screw studs into block, finger tightONLY. For permanent installation, applyLoc-tite (or similar adhesive) sparinglyto threads. Be sure and install the capspromptly before the cement sets to preventmisalignment of studs in block.

First and foremost is making sure theblock and studs are as clean as possible.Foreign matter and debris can easily affectthe quality of thread engagement andcause erroneous torque readings. Do notre-cut threads in the block â€“ use the specialâ€œchaserâ€ taps as listed on page 87 of this catalog.This will preserve the integrity of thethreads and provide better engagement.Calibrate your torque wrench â€“ even newwrenches have been known to be off by asmuch as 10 foot pounds! Use consistenttightening techniques.4. Install main caps, checking for bindingand misalignment. Lubricate threads, nutsand washers with oil or ARP moly assemblylubricant before installation. Note that torquespecs will vary by lubricant. Moly lube ismost consistent. Have block align honed.5. Using the instructions provided withthe studs, tighten the nuts to propertorque values three times. NOTE: If usingLoc-Tite or similar cement, proper preloadmust be achieved prior to it setting up.

keep in mind the course thread section is not being screwed in or the threads moved as the nut on the fine thread upper end is torqued to spec. and that thread requires the ARP thread lubricant to get the correct stretch and that stud needs to be cycled up to full torque then released and re torqued,a minimum of three times to get the stretch/tq correct

lets assume your looking for a 3/8" drive inch lb torque wrench to tighten little things like intake bolts, logic should tell you that a decent quality tool will not be dirt cheap, and that you don,t need the best available tool for that use so you start pricing your optionsthe whole OBJECT of you using a torque wrench is to allow you to maintain consistent TORQUE values, do you really think the HF torque wrench will be consistent, when most other sources what 4-5 times as much, think it thru, obviously you don,t need a lab quality tool, but the cheapest option is not likely to be a rational choice either.

IF your just getting into building engines youll need a few basic tools like a torque wrench and a decent piston ring compressor, a digital caliper,some plasti-gauge and modeling clay, etc.

ID strongly suggestDO YOURSELF A HUGE FAVORbuy these books, FIRST it will be the best money you ever spent, read them, and you will be miles ahead of the average guy. youll save thousands of dollars and thousands of hours once youve got a good basic understanding of what your trying to do!use the search feature on this site and put in key words like clearance, bearings, rings,honing,steel,lubricant, etc. and read the linked info

IF your just getting into building engines youll need a few basic tools like a torque wrench and a decent piston ring compressor, a digital caliper,some plasti-gauge and modeling clay, etc.

ID strongly suggestDO YOURSELF A HUGE FAVORbuy these books, FIRST it will be the best money you ever spent, read them, and you will be miles ahead of the average guy. youll save thousands of dollars and thousands of hours once youve got a good basic understanding of what your trying to do!use the search feature on this site and put in key words like clearance, bearings, rings,honing,steel,lubricant, sealant,etc. and read the linked info